What is Practical? 10 3. ELEMENTS OF SEA POWER 16 4. DEFINITION OF TERMS: STRATEGY, TACTICS, LOGISTICS 49 5. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES 50 Central Position, Interior Lines, Communications 50 Concentration 60 6. STRATEGIC POSITIONS 68 I. Situation 69 II. Military Strength 70 III. Resources 74 7. STRATEGIC LINES 75 Communications 75 Importance of Sea Communications 76 8. OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS 79 9. THE VALUE OF THE DEFENSIVE 87 10. COMMERCE-DESTROYING AND BLOCKADE 91 Command of the Sea Decisive 98 11. STRATEGIC FEATURES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE CARIBBEAN 100 12. PRINCIPLES OF NAVAL ADMINISTRATION 113 Opposing Elements 113 The British System 118 The United States System 122 13. THE MILITARY RULE OF OBEDIENCE 125 14. PREPAREDNESS FOR NAVAL WAR 128 PART II SEA POWER IN HISTORY 15. A NATION EXHAUSTED BY ISOLATION 137 France under Louis XIV 137 16. THE GROWTH OF BRITISH SEA POWER 141 England after the Peace of Utrecht, 1715 141 17. RESULTS OF THE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR 147 18. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FORMALISM IN NAVAL TACTICS 155 19. THE NEW TACTICS 159 Rodney and De Guichen, April 17, 1780 159 20. SEA POWER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 164 Graves and De Grasse off the Chesapeake 164 21. THE FRENCH NAVY DEMORALIZED BY THE REVOLUTION 171 22. HOWE’S VICTORY OF JUNE 1, 1794 175 23. NELSON’S STRATEGY AT COPENHAGEN 184 24. ENGLAND’S FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE 191 25. THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR 196